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[2020 Six Nations] Ireland vs Wales (08/02/20)

I'm happy with the team too, slightly worried about the starting scrum holding up and the lineout but that's a decent team. Real carrying impact coming off the bench with that front row, that's not something Wales have had for a while.
 
Happy enough with that.

Feel a little for Rob Evans who had a good cameo off the bench last week I thought, helping to sure up the scrum and a key offload in the build-up to Tompkins' try. I'm not against Rhys Carre, who could develop into a top player for us. Wyn Jones was disappointing, he's lucky to keep his place imo. Dillon Lewis is also a little lucky, because he did appear to be struggling scrum time v Italy. He was more involved in the loose than Jones though, with some good carries and key turnovers achieved.

Shame that Hill is out injured, thought he was excellent during his time on the field last week. Beard needs to step-up after a disappointing WC.

Great to see Tompkins start. I would have probably preferred to see McNicholl stay over North, but he was exposed a few times out wide v Italy, and we all know the impact North can have. He put in a great performance out of nowhere v Ireland a few years back for example.

Bench looks good with Williams offering some good cover at 10/centre. Not the gamechanger Jarrod Evans is, but the weather doesn't look great which may have swayed the decision.

Edit. Apparently WGJ picked up a shoulder injury playing for Sale.
as was said earlier that is about as good as it could be with all the injuries , not sure how different it would have been if all fit , more like changes to the bench than anything.
 
Strong typical kind of Welsh team. No one who absolutely terrifies me but no weak links either. Wait and see with the weather but on paper I'm expecting Wales to come out the winner at the moment.

Who's the ref?
 
If the weather is wet the the aerial battle could be a massive one. If it comes to a kicking dual and winning the ball in the air for territory then my money is on Biggar and co.

I still think scrum penalties will win the game though.
 
There was /is real animosity about Gatts in Irish rugby ,never got to the bottom of it .So glad they let him go.
Mostly from things he's said really. Massive mistake on our part to let him go, his replacement is up there with the worst international coaches ever. Gatland was right to be ****** off but his bitterness lasted 18 years and comments like "we hate the Irish more than anyone else" didn't help.

I wrote this last year, describes it fairly well if I say so myself!

2001 - IRFU sack Gatland unfairly and in contentious circumstances, his replacement Eddie O'Sullivan is fairly shite.
2008 - Gatland wins GS in first year hammering Ireland at home en route ending EOS's career. EOS sacked.
2009 - Gatland says Welsh players "hate the Irish the most", Irish players blame Ospreys recent acquisition Tommy Bowe. Gatland's forwards coach replacement from 2001 Declan Kidney beats him to win GS in first year.
2011 - Ballgate, World Cup QF
2012 - Wales gifted win in Dublin by Wayne Barnes after a perfectly legitimate Stephen Ferris tackle is penalised and a yellow card issued, citing commissioner says it wasn't a penalty, penalty kicked and Wales win with last kick of the game.
2013 - BODgate
2014 - Joe Schmidt comes, Ireland hammer Wales out the gate.
2015 - Wales win by 7, Wayne Barnes ends game with an inconceivable scrum penalty to Wales on their own 5m.
2017 - Lions, a lot of Irish are disillusioned with another Gatland tour after years of him having an Irish rugby complex, feel Welsh are overrepresented.

Big games, both sides acting the ********, contentious calls, (I'm sure one or two went our way too but it's harder to remember) an outspoken coach etc... I don't think there's any pettiness on either side it's just a rivalry that's grown from a lot of factors, personal and circumstantial. I'd say it's stuck now but the IRFU sacking Gatland and Gatland's abrasiveness triggered it and it snowballed.
 
Wales have set-piece issues, but Ireland were seriously unimpressive in their narrow win over Scotland. If this were in Cardiff then Wales would almost certainly win, but since it is not I'll say: draw.
 
Mostly from things he's said really. Massive mistake on our part to let him go, his replacement is up there with the worst international coaches ever. Gatland was right to be ****** off but his bitterness lasted 18 years and comments like "we hate the Irish more than anyone else" didn't help.

I wrote this last year, describes it fairly well if I say so myself!
A bit of rivalry is not a bad thing ,on the pitch , that bit About hating the Irish is nowhere near any part of reality ,only 1 team gets anything close to that and it is not a Celtic Nation. Yes we only remember the poor calls that go against us don't we.
 
Weather looks like it'll be brutal, unless the storm hasn't reached Dublin by 2 tomorrow my dreams of a reinvention in our play style will probably have to wait another few week/years. Looks like it'll be an arm wrestle between the packs for the most part.
 
Weather looks like it'll be brutal, unless the storm hasn't reached Dublin by 2 tomorrow my dreams of a reinvention in our play style will probably have to wait another few week/years. Looks like it'll be an arm wrestle between the packs for the most part.
Looks like weather will escape Dublin until Sunday
 
Walking to the polling station and it's a lovely bright day but I'm already being blown sideways. Not expecting a great flowing game.
 

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